Drain cleaner

Abstract

A drain cleaner includes a base unit having a housing, a drive arrangement positioned within the housing, and a motor coupled to the drive arrangement and supported by the housing. The motor is operable to selectively drive the drive arrangement. The drain cleaner also includes a drum unit removably coupled to the base unit. The drum unit has a drum that engages the drive arrangement when the drum unit is coupled to the base unit to rotate the drum, and a cable stored within the drum and selectively extendable out of the drum and into a drain.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A drain cleaner comprising:
 a base unit including a housing, a drive arrangement positioned within the housing, and a motor coupled to the drive arrangement and supported by the housing, the motor operable to selectively drive the drive arrangement; and 
 a drum unit removably coupled to the base unit, the drum unit including
 a drum that engages the drive arrangement when the drum unit is coupled to the base unit to rotate the drum, and 
 a cable stored within the drum and selectively extendable out of the drum and into a drain; 
 
 wherein the drum unit includes an outer casing, wherein the drum is an inner drum rotatable within the outer casing, and wherein the cable supported by the inner drum; 
 wherein the drum unit further includes a shaft and a pulley coupled to the inner drum, and wherein the shaft and the pulley extend out of the outer casing; and 
 wherein the drive arrangement includes a drive pulley coupled to an output shaft of the motor, an idler pulley supported by a mounting plate of the housing, and a belt wrapped around the drive pulley and the idler pulley, and wherein the pulley of the drum unit engages the belt when the drum unit is coupled to the base unit to rotate the inner drum. 
 
     
     
       2. The drain cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the base unit includes a strap arrangement coupled to the housing, wherein the strap arrangement is configured to be worn by a user. 
     
     
       3. The drain cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the drum unit includes a handle coupled to the drum, wherein the handle is configured to be held by the user to separately carry the base unit and the drum unit. 
     
     
       4. The drain cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery pack removably coupled to the base unit, wherein the battery pack provides power to the motor. 
     
     
       5. The drain cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the base unit further includes a stabilizer configured to support the base unit in an upright position, and wherein the stabilizer is movable between a first position, in which the stabilizer is retracted relative to the housing, and a second position, in which the stabilizer extends outward relative to the housing. 
     
     
       6. The drain cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the stabilizer includes a rod member having a U-shape and a handle coupled to the rod member, wherein in the first position the rod member is received in the housing of the base unit, and wherein in the second position the rod member is at least partially withdrawn from the housing of the base unit. 
     
     
       7. The drain cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the base unit further includes a vertical slot formed in the housing, wherein the belt extends across the vertical slot, and wherein the pulley of the drum unit is received in the vertical slot when the drum unit is coupled to the base unit to engage the belt. 
     
     
       8. The drain cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein the drive arrangement includes a tensioner mounted to the idler pulley, wherein the tensioner defines an elongated slot that receives a projection extending from the mounting plate of the housing, and wherein the tensioner is movable along the projection to adjust a position of the idler pulley due to a weight of the drum unit when the pulley of the drum unit engages the belt. 
     
     
       9. The drain cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the drive arrangement further includes a spring coupled to the tensioner, wherein the spring biases the tensioner in a first direction, and wherein the weight of the drum unit pushes the tensioner in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
       10. The drain cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a foot pedal coupled to the base unit, and wherein the foot pedal is actuatable to control operation of the motor. 
     
     
       11. The drain cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the foot pedal includes a switch positioned within an internal cavity, an actuation lever operable to selectively engage the switch, and a sealing member positioned between the actuation lever and the switch, wherein in response to actuation of the foot pedal, the actuation lever engages the switch through the sealing member. 
     
     
       12. The drain cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the drum includes one selected from the group consisting of a first reinforcement plate coupled to an outer surface of the drum, a second reinforcement plate coupled to an inner surface of the drum, or both the first reinforcement plate coupled to the outer surface of the drum and the second reinforcement plate coupled to the inner surface of the drum. 
     
     
       13. The drain cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the drum unit includes a guide conduit receiving the cable and a driven shaft received within the drum, wherein the driven shaft is coupled to the guide conduit by a first bearing and a second bearing, and wherein the first bearing and the second bearing allow the driven shaft and the guide conduit to spin independently. 
     
     
       14. The drain cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the base unit further includes a switch with a first button, a second button, and a third button, wherein actuating the first button allows the motor to rotate in a first direction, wherein actuating the second button allows the motor to rotate in a second direction, and wherein actuating the third button prevents the motor from rotating. 
     
     
       15. A drain cleaner comprising:
 a base unit including
 a housing defining a vertical slot, 
 a motor supported by the housing and having an output shaft, and 
 a drive arrangement including a drive pulley coupled to the output shaft of the motor, an idler pulley supported by the housing, and a belt wrapped around the drive pulley and the idler pulley and extending across the vertical slot; and 
 
 a drum unit removably coupled to the base unit, the drum unit including
 a drum, 
 a pulley coupled to the drum, the pulley being removably received in the vertical slot to engage the belt, and 
 a cable stored within the drum and selectively extendable out of the drum and into a drain. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The drain cleaner of  claim 15 , further comprising a foot pedal coupled to the base unit, wherein the foot pedal is actuatable to control operation of the motor, and wherein the foot pedal is removably received in the vertical slot for storage. 
     
     
       17. The drain cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the housing includes a boss extending into the vertical slot and the foot pedal defines a cavity, and wherein the cavity receives the boss to couple the foot pedal to the drum unit for storage. 
     
     
       18. The drain cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the drive arrangement further includes
 a tensioner mounted to the idler pulley and defining an elongated slot, the elongated slot receiving a projection extending from the housing, and 
 a spring coupled to the tensioner to bias the tensioner in a first direction, 
 wherein when the pulley of the drum unit is received in the vertical slot, a weight of the drum unit pushes the tensioner in a second direction opposite the first direction to move the tensioner along the projection and adjust a position of the idler pulley. 
 
     
     
       19. A drain cleaner comprising:
 a base unit including
 a housing defining a vertical slot, 
 a strap arrangement coupled to the housing, 
 a motor supported by the housing and having an output shaft, 
 a battery pack supported by the housing and operable to provide power to the motor, 
 a drive arrangement including a drive pulley coupled to the output shaft of the motor, an idler pulley supported by the housing, and a belt wrapped around the drive pulley and the idler pulley and extending across the vertical slot, and 
 a stabilizer configured to support the base unit in an upright position, the stabilizer being movable between a first position, in which the stabilizer is retracted relative to the housing, and a second position, in which the stabilizer extends outward relative to the housing; and 
 
 a drum unit removably coupled to the base unit, the drum unit including
 an outer casing, 
 a handle coupled to the outer casing, 
 an inner drum rotatable within the outer casing, 
 a shaft coupled to the inner drum and extending out of the outer casing, 
 a pulley coupled to an end of the shaft, the pulley being removably received in the vertical slot to engage the belt, and 
 a cable stored within the drum and selectively extendable out of the drum and into a drain, 
 
 wherein the strap arrangement is configured to be worn by a user and the handle is configured to be held by the user to separately carry the base unit and the drum unit. 
 
     
     
       20. A drain cleaner comprising:
 a base unit including a housing, a drive arrangement positioned within the housing, and a motor coupled to the drive arrangement and supported by the housing, the motor operable to selectively drive the drive arrangement; and 
 a drum unit removably coupled to the base unit, the drum unit including
 a drum that engages the drive arrangement when the drum unit is coupled to the base unit to rotate the drum, and 
 a cable stored within the drum and selectively extendable out of the drum and into a drain; 
 
 wherein the base unit further includes a stabilizer configured to support the base unit in an upright position, and wherein the stabilizer is movable between a first position, in which the stabilizer is retracted relative to the housing, and a second position, in which the stabilizer extends outward relative to the housing; and 
 wherein the stabilizer includes a rod member having a U-shape and a handle coupled to the rod member, wherein in the first position the rod member is received in the housing of the base unit, and wherein in the second position the rod member is at least partially withdrawn from the housing of the base unit. 
 
     
     
       21. A drain cleaner comprising:
 a base unit including a housing, a drive arrangement positioned within the housing, and a motor coupled to the drive arrangement and supported by the housing, the motor operable to selectively drive the drive arrangement; 
 a drum unit removably coupled to the base unit, the drum unit including
 a drum that engages the drive arrangement when the drum unit is coupled to the base unit to rotate the drum, and 
 a cable stored within the drum and selectively extendable out of the drum and into a drain; and 
 
 a foot pedal coupled to the base unit, wherein the foot pedal is actuatable to control operation of the motor; 
 wherein the foot pedal includes a switch positioned within an internal cavity, an actuation lever operable to selectively engage the switch, and a sealing member positioned between the actuation lever and the switch, wherein in response to actuation of the foot pedal, the actuation lever engages the switch through the sealing member. 
 
     
     
       22. A drain cleaner comprising:
 a base unit including a housing, a drive arrangement positioned within the housing, and a motor coupled to the drive arrangement and supported by the housing, the motor operable to selectively drive the drive arrangement; and 
 a drum unit removably coupled to the base unit, the drum unit including
 a drum that engages the drive arrangement when the drum unit is coupled to the base unit to rotate the drum, and 
 a cable stored within the drum and selectively extendable out of the drum and into a drain; and 
 
 wherein the drum unit includes a guide conduit receiving the cable and a driven shaft received within the drum, wherein the driven shaft is coupled to the guide conduit by a first bearing and a second bearing, and wherein the first bearing and the second bearing allow the driven shaft and the guide conduit to spin independently. 
 
     
     
       23. A drain cleaner comprising:
 a base unit including a housing, a drive arrangement positioned within the housing, and a motor coupled to the drive arrangement and supported by the housing, the motor operable to selectively drive the drive arrangement; and 
 a drum unit removably coupled to the base unit, the drum unit including
 a drum that engages the drive arrangement when the drum unit is coupled to the base unit to rotate the drum, and 
 a cable stored within the drum and selectively extendable out of the drum and into a drain; and 
 
 wherein the base unit further includes a switch with a first button, a second button, and a third button, wherein actuating the first button allows the motor to rotate in a first direction, wherein actuating the second button allows the motor to rotate in a second direction, and wherein actuating the third button prevents the motor from rotating.